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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

29-1021 Dentists, General

Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care. Excludes "Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons" (29-1022), "Orthodontists" (29-1023), "Prosthodontists" (29-1024), and "Dentists, All Other Specialists" (29-1029).


National estimates for Dentists, General
Industry profile for Dentists, General
Geographic profile for Dentists, General

National estimates for Dentists, General:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Dentists, General:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
95,920 2.4 % $ 86.94 $ 180,830 1.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for Dentists, General:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 38.97 $ 55.43 $ 76.41 (5) (5)
Annual Wage (2) $ 81,060 $ 115,290 $ 158,940 (5) (5)


Industry profile for Dentists, General:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Dentists, General are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Dentists, General, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Dentists, General:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Dentists 85,120 10.06 $ 88.15 $ 183,340
Offices of Physicians 3,180 0.12 $ 78.62 $ 163,520
Outpatient Care Centers 2,520 0.26 $ 78.89 $ 164,090
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 1,580 0.03 $ 68.49 $ 142,450
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 880 0.04 $ 93.17 $ 193,800

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Dentists, General:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Dentists 85,120 10.06 $ 88.15 $ 183,340
Outpatient Care Centers 2,520 0.26 $ 78.89 $ 164,090
Offices of Physicians 3,180 0.12 $ 78.62 $ 163,520
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 140 0.06 $ 83.09 $ 172,820
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 100 0.04 $ 66.68 $ 138,700

Top paying industries for Dentists, General:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 140 0.02 $ 102.85 $ 213,930
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 880 0.04 $ 93.17 $ 193,800
Offices of Dentists 85,120 10.06 $ 88.15 $ 183,340
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 140 0.06 $ 83.09 $ 172,820
Employment Services 270 0.01 $ 82.93 $ 172,490


Geographic profile for Dentists, General:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Dentists, General are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Dentists, General, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in Dentists, General:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 12,040 0.73 1.06 $ 77.07 $ 160,300
Texas 8,480 0.70 1.02 $ 88.66 $ 184,410
Florida 7,050 0.83 1.21 $ 86.98 $ 180,920
New York 6,270 0.72 1.05 $ 81.90 $ 170,350
Illinois 3,660 0.65 0.94 $ 95.42 $ 198,480




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dentists, General:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wyoming 300 1.16 1.69 $ 64.30 $ 133,750
Hawaii 660 1.15 1.66 $ 97.55 $ 202,890
Vermont 280 1.00 1.46 $ 122.21 $ 254,190
Washington 2,910 0.91 1.32 $ 90.16 $ 187,520
Utah 1,310 0.88 1.28 $ 71.02 $ 147,730




Top paying states for Dentists, General:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rhode Island 280 0.63 0.92 $ 124.48 $ 258,920
Vermont 280 1.00 1.46 $ 122.21 $ 254,190
Alaska 220 0.74 1.07 $ 116.75 $ 242,850
Maine 420 0.74 1.07 $ 113.49 $ 236,060
New Hampshire 370 0.59 0.86 $ 106.94 $ 222,430





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Dentists, General:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 6,860 0.78 1.13 $ 81.29 $ 169,090
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,110 0.71 1.02 $ 65.87 $ 137,020
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,010 0.84 1.21 $ 110.94 $ 230,750
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,960 0.68 0.98 $ 92.31 $ 192,000
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,560 0.85 1.23 $ 105.63 $ 219,710
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,380 0.80 1.16 $ 69.53 $ 144,630
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 2,260 0.90 1.31 $ 100.72 $ 209,510
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 1,910 0.98 1.42 $ 81.64 $ 169,810
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,820 0.69 1.00 $ 77.08 $ 160,330
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,770 0.76 1.10 $ 85.30 $ 177,420




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dentists, General:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Burlington-South Burlington, VT 220 1.95 2.83 $ 128.25 $ 266,760
St. George, UT 130 1.86 2.69 (8) (8)
Casper, WY 70 1.84 2.67 $ 79.22 $ 164,780
Grand Junction, CO 110 1.80 2.61 $ 57.42 $ 119,430
Leominster-Gardner, MA 80 1.66 2.41 $ 91.95 $ 191,260
Eau Claire, WI 120 1.58 2.29 $ 97.45 $ 202,700
Las Cruces, NM 110 1.56 2.26 $ 64.77 $ 134,730
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY 80 1.54 2.23 (8) (8)
Prescott, AZ 90 1.52 2.21 $ 94.72 $ 197,010
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL 210 1.44 2.09 $ 78.19 $ 162,640




Top paying metropolitan areas for Dentists, General:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Olympia-Tumwater, WA (8) (8) (8) (5) (5)
Warner Robins, GA 40 0.53 0.76 (5) (5)
Dover-Durham, NH-ME 40 0.78 1.14 $ 137.76 $ 286,540
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL 230 0.80 1.16 $ 134.03 $ 278,790
Portland-South Portland, ME 180 0.89 1.30 $ 133.84 $ 278,390
Gainesville, GA 40 0.42 0.61 $ 130.57 $ 271,580
Burlington-South Burlington, VT 220 1.95 2.83 $ 128.25 $ 266,760
Rapid City, SD (8) (8) (8) $ 126.00 $ 262,070
Longview, TX 50 0.50 0.72 $ 121.04 $ 251,760
New Haven, CT 130 0.49 0.70 $ 120.40 $ 250,430

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Dentists, General:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 170 0.64 0.92 $ 68.23 $ 141,920
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 170 0.54 0.79 $ 95.10 $ 197,820
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 160 0.65 0.94 $ 71.19 $ 148,060
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 150 1.42 2.06 $ 63.63 $ 132,350
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 150 0.83 1.21 $ 111.73 $ 232,390

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Dentists, General:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 150 1.42 2.06 $ 63.63 $ 132,350
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 110 1.41 2.04 (8) (8)
Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 120 1.20 1.74 $ 77.97 $ 162,180
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 110 1.19 1.73 $ 114.15 $ 237,430
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 60 1.17 1.69 $ 94.84 $ 197,270

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Dentists, General:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 40 0.37 0.53 $ 133.65 $ 277,990
East Georgia nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 126.36 $ 262,820
Alaska nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 123.75 $ 257,390
East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 40 0.68 0.99 $ 122.68 $ 255,170
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 60 0.64 0.93 $ 121.52 $ 252,760


About May 2020 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(5) This wage is equal to or greater than $100.00 per hour or $208,000 per year.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021